Chapter 23: What’s Wrong with a Pretty Girl’s Milk Tea Being Pricier?

Zhihu, launch.  

Question: “Got targeted by a yandere, what do I do? Urgent, waiting online.”

Song Wuli and Diamond ate fried dumplings while browsing Zhihu.  

A few new replies popped up.  

[First, figure out what the yandere sees in you. Pray it’s you as a person, not just an arm or leg.]  

[Let me handle her, OP. You can’t deal with a yandere.]  

[I won’t let you go]  

[I see you.]  

None were helpful.  

Song Wuli asked Diamond, “What’s Jinluan like?”  

Diamond: “A lesbian.”  

Song Wuli: “Huh?”  

Diamond: “In human terms, she’s a woman who likes women, especially magical girls.”  

Song Wuli: “Why? What’s the deal?”  

Diamond: “It’s a long story, from the Thousand Cage Island incident.”  

Song Wuli: “Keep it under 100 words.”  

Diamond coughed, blood splattering the dumplings but eating them anyway.  

Song Wuli’s scalp tingled watching.  

Diamond: “Ask her yourself. Some things are better from the source.”  

Half-said, leaving him hanging, but he couldn’t exactly confront Jinluan.  

Jinluan genuinely scared him.  

There’s a big difference between a pervert and a yandere.  

A pervert’s just a bit kinky, into weird stuff.  

A yandere might actually stab you.  

Unclear if Jinluan was a pervert or a yandere.  

That night, he had a nightmare: fighting Jinluan, who stole his wand, leaving him unable to revert or use magic.  

“You’re mine, baby!” Jinluan grinned like a creep, approaching with rope.  

He jolted awake, pillow soaked. Wiping his face, he was drenched in cold sweat.  

Checked his chest—flat, hard. Good, male body.  

Morning already, with time before work, he showered.  

After much thought, he took leave from the milk tea shop to avoid trouble.  

This was the most painful leave he’d ever taken.  

At 14 hours a day, that’s 16,800 yuan lost.  

Later, he asked the manager—Xia Shiyao showed up early, took a table, drank tea, and worked on a laptop, maybe doing office work.  

Taking leave was the right call.  

Xia Shiyao stayed from noon to 10:30 p.m., despite the manager saying Yao Ruoning wasn’t scheduled.  

The manager texted:  

[Manager: Who’s that woman to you?]  

[Yao: Don’t know her.]  

[Manager: But her attitude…]  

[Manager: You two aren’t, like, *that*, right?]  

[Yao: Nope.]  

[Manager: Coming tomorrow?]  

[Yao: Yes, one hour at noon, two at night.]  

The next day, Song Wuli showed up at noon, transforming and changing into casual clothes.  

A few chubby fans at the door bowed to her.  

Too polite—she couldn’t even muster a snarky remark.  

She started work, serving tea like a pro.  

Something new today.  

The regular shouted to the packed shop, “Auctioning the first milk tea made by our staff! Any takers?”  

This regular was a genius—his cosplay idea saved the shop.  

Now he was hyping the crowd, engaging customers.  

The manager thought it was unnecessary—just run the shop normally.  

The regular explained: it’s like a maid café, interacting boosts satisfaction and brings return customers.  

Too complex, too avant-garde for the manager.  

But he listened to advice.  

With the regular’s shout, the shop’s vibe hit a fever pitch.  

“20 yuan, I’ll take that tea!”  

Regular: “Table 1 bids 20 yuan. Any more?”  

“25 yuan!”  

Regular: “Table 4 bids 25. Anyone else?”  

“50 yuan!”  

Regular: “Table 5 bids 50! Going once… twice…”  

“60!”  

“70!”  

A regular milk tea sold for 200 yuan.  

Unlike others, Song Wuli made this one.  

Following the manager’s instructions, she made it with extra sugar.  

The manager didn’t touch it, guiding verbally, afraid his “dirty hands” would taint its purity.  

A guy in the corner sipped water, muttering about not getting young people.  

So complicated.  

In the afternoon, Song Wuli returned to the office.  

He checked on magical girl news—why didn’t Jinluan show up?  

Got answers fast, from Liang Tai’s fan club.  

Liang Tai was livestreaming, miles away.  

His nose for news was sharper than officials’, reaching the demon site first.  

Song Wuli watched.  

“Fam, we’re here at the scene!”  

“Look at this demon—mid-tier, three meters tall, one eye, super intimidating.”  

“Thanks for the plane, boss!”  

“The magical girl’s been fighting it for a while.”  

“Only Jinluan’s here. Careful, her temper’s not great—don’t get too close.”  

“Let’s interview some onlookers.”  

Liang Tai asked bystanders about earlier events.  

They said Jinluan fought the demon for over half an hour, dominating but somehow not.  

Her swordplay was fierce, slicing the demon apart, unavoidable.  

But the demon regenerated instantly, hands, feet, whatever.  

The crowd gasped.  

Liang Tai swung the camera to the fight—Jinluan beheaded the demon.  

She kept attacking, carving it into a dozen pieces.  

A shockwave from the demon pushed her back.  

Most pieces turned to dust, but one grew new flesh, regenerating fully in under ten seconds, as if unharmed.  

Ridiculous—what was this thing?  

Jinluan was panting, stamina fading.  

Her attacks were lethal, “killing” the demon a hundred times in half an hour.  

Useless—it kept coming back.  

Song Wuli felt tense and awkward.  

Why awkward?  

Liang Tai’s stream was flooded with spam:  

[Summon Destruction God Yinlin] x99  

[Where’s my wife Yinlin?] x10  

[Pierce the Star Sea] x99